Cool Cars - 25

One Red 1972 Chevrolet 350 - Spotted in Central Christchurch

A Bird in the Hand

Mallard, Botanic Gardens, Christchurch. March 2008. Ajr

One Duck

Many Reflections

Vineyard Retreats

View of Millar Road vineyard by Brian Culy. Image supplied.

It's hard to imagine waking up to a prettier sight than this.

Napier photographer Brian Culy took this shot from the classy vineyard retreat of Millar Road - a sublime rural retreat ten minutes or so from Havelock North in the North Island. It's the brainchild of Greg, Ginny and Jeremy Collinge, who have created the perfect hideaway for lovers of good wine, good food, good art and good times. www.millarroad.co.nz

Little Shop of Wonders

Wunderkammer, Melbourne. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Some people are easy to buy gifts for; others are a nightmare. And speaking of nightmares, I have discovered THE most amazing little shop in Melbourne – a treasure trove really, a repository of the weird and wonderful for the person who has everything – or thought they did until they stepped into Wunderkammer! It’s not for the faint-hearted though. Tarantulas, scorpions, human skeletons, skulls and bats line up with full sized crocodiles, little armies of stuffed cane toads, foxes and big black beetles. Factor in butterflies, fossils, insects, assorted taxidermy, antique scientific and medical instruments, fossils and rocks and you begin to see why Wunderkammer considers itself as much a museum as a retail outlet. It is a truly fabulous place. I wanted to buy everything and it was only the thought of having to explain myself to Customs that curtailed my enthusiasm. The (German) word ‘Wunderkammer’ by the way, means ‘wonder-chamber.’ Very apt. www.wunderkammer.com.au

Watching You Watching Me

"Watching You Watching Me," Sue Buchanan & Eli Giannini. Melbourne Nov 2008. Ajr

One of things I love most about Melbourne’s Federation Square – apart from the architecture and my favourite restaurant, Chocolate Buddha – is that it is a fabulous people-watching place. Melbourne artists, Sue Buchanan and Eli Giannini recognised that when they created their installation “Watching You Watching Me,” which is another of the ten finalists in the Melbourne Prize For Urban Sculpture 2008 currently showing throughout Federation Square. Plastic chairs with reflective tape have been arranged to create the allusion of ‘an invisible audience’ looking back at the viewer. You can also see “Measuring Up 2008” by Pamela Clements in the background – construction workers’ overalls on scaffolding, which references the interaction between people and place; and the physical labour required for the construction and habitation of buildings. For other finalists click on this website www.melbourneprizetrust.org or on Melbourne Prize For Urban Sculpture in the label line below.

Yearning For An Interesting Skyline

Highrise, Melbourne, Australia. Nov. 2008. Ajr

If you've ever visited Christchurch here in New Zealand, you will quickly realise why I am fixated by high rise buildings when I'm overseas. Simply put, we have perhaps six buildings that deserve the term 'high rise' - and even that might be stretching it. As pretty as Christchurch is, it definitely lacks anything even vaguely interesting when it comes to very big architectural statements. And I think I'll be waiting a long time for that to change.

There's No Stopping Creativity

"The Federation Square Skateboard Series 2008" Jason Waterhouse. Nov. 2008 Ajr

There seems to be a belligerent streak to my nature that rather enjoys seeing some of our more ‘subversive’ cultures – graffiti/street artists and skateboarders for instance – making public statements and stirring up the status quo. So it was predictable that I would relate well to “The Federation Square Skateboard Series 2008,” by Melbourne artist, Jason Waterhouse. His is another of the ten works – finalists - currently being exhibited as part of the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture 2008. Like graffiti, skateboarding is something of a thorn in the side of urban planning organisations but try as they might, they rarely seem able to quell either activity for long. Creativity will always have its way. Jason Waterhouse’s work makes that very clear. His coloured boards are placed throughout Federation Square. www.melbourneprizetrust.org www.jasonwaterhouse.com For other finalists click on Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture in the label line below.

Take a Seat

Stylecraft, Melbourne, Australia. Nov 2008. Ajr

I had a great time peeking through the windows of Melbourne’s Stylecraft on the corner of Flinders Lane and Russell Street last week. Well….the lower pavement peek-a-boo windows that is; the building’s main street-facing windows were about eight feet off the ground. They specialise in distributing exclusive designer commercial furniture and while some of you might think that sounds dull, there is a whole range of loveliness available to architects, designers and ‘office builders’ these days – just take a peek at the Stylecraft website if you don’t believe me. I felt totally sneaky crouching down on the pavement and taking these shots – and as you can see, I got caught – but it’s all for a good cause isn’t it. www.stylecraft.com.au

Fashion Fantastic

Alannah Hill, Howey Place, Melbourne, Australia. Nov. 2008. Ajr

I LOVE being enticed into a well-designed retail environment – not because I necessarily want to spend money but because I simply appreciate that some (though surprisingly few) retailers inherently understand that beauty, lavishness, good design, quirkiness and originality are key components of the successful retail equation. One Melbourne store that really did it for me was the fashion house, Alannah Hill in Howey Place. It helped that I LOVE hot pink. (Not that I would ever WEAR hot pink!) Nor would I ever fit into one of Alannah Hill’s lusciously-designed garments; but I made a point of going in anyway – just to savour the sumptuous femininity, the colour, the texture, the aromas and the overall mood of extravagance and romance. Lovely! To get a feel for it all, check out Alannah’s fabulous website. It takes a while to load but it’s worth it. www.alannahhill.com.au

Lunch Break

The Avon, Christchurch. Oct 2008. Ajr

Every lunch time, the banks of the Avon River are scattered with lunching workers. This is a view from Oxford Terrace, overlooking the old band rotunda, which is now a restaurant.

Art Announcements

Exhibition Poster, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia. Nov. 2008. Ajr

The late Australian artist, Rosalie Gascoigne had her first exhibition in 1974 when she was 57. She went on to become one of Australia's leading contemporary artists and this year, the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia is staging a major exhibition of her work from December 19 to March 15, 2009. Included in the show will be my favourites among her work - those created from discarded soft-drink crates and reflective road signs. www.ngv.vic.gov.au

Bridging the Gap

Bolte Bridge, Melbourne, Australia. Nov 2008 Ajr

Melbourne’s Bolte Bridge is a thing of enormous simple beauty. Designed by Melbourne architects Denton Corker Marshall, this huge, six-lane, twin cantilever structure spans the Yarra River and Victoria Harbour in the Docklands Precinct. It was constructed between 1996-1999 at a cost of $75-million and was named after the former Premier of Victoria, Sir Henry Bolte. I managed to score night and day shots as I was being driven to visit friends in Frankston.

Natural Art

Australian tree barks and totems. Nov. 2008. Ajr

One of the things I love most about Australia, is the unexpected beauty of its natural colours and textures – the myriad of subtle patterns and interweaving of colours that you find in the trees and the earth. I get very excited about this beautiful natural palette and I always come home fired up with creative ideas.

A Time For Waste

"Tritonic Jam Session 2008." Louise Paramor. Melbourne Nov 2008. Ajr

This is another of the finalists in the 2008 Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture – “Tritonic Jam Session 2008” by Louise Paramor. Made of plastic and steel pinning it is one of an ongoing series of her works that use contemporary industrial waste to explore the fundamental principles of Modernism – form, colour, spatiality. It is named for the twelve white ‘Triton’ water barriers that are often seen marking construction and demolition sites, road works and other ‘disruptions’ in urban Australia. I think it looks fabulous against its high rise backdrop. I’ll be posting images of works by the other finalists in this award - currently on display at Melbourne's Federation Square - but if you can’t wait, you can check them out at www.melbourneprizetrust.org

When Coffee Meets Graffiti

Cafe in Degraves Street, Melbourne. Nov. 2008. Ajr

They're not afraid of graffiti and street art in Melbourne.

I love that - that they incoporate it into everyday life in the network of inner city lanes and byways. This is yet another bright scene - this one in very popular Degraves Street, which runs off Flinders Lane.

Crossing the Tasman

Six Australian Jewellers from Pieces of Eight, Melbourne. Images Supplied by Inform

Since my entire blog has virtually been Melbourne-based for the last two weeks, it seems only fitting to continue the theme (now that I’m home again), with this stunning show of Australian jewellery, which comes courtesy of Pieces of Eight Gallery – one of Melbourne’s newest galleries and artist workshops located in super-cool Brunswick Street, in Fitzroy. These six jewellers – showing in New Zealand for the first time - bring a diverse collection of gorgeousness to Christchurch’s inform contemporary jewellery in High Street. The exhibition opens on November 25th. If you can’t make the show you can read about the artists’ inspirations and see more of their work on the Pieces of Eight website. And if you're a jewellery fan, click on jewellery in the label line below to see several New Zealand jewellers and their work that I've written about recently. Works shown above are by: Top: Lucy Folk Second From Top: Rachel Gorman. Box of Four: Top Left: Melanie Katsalidis Top Right: Suzi Zutic Bottom Left: Nina Ellis Bottom Right: Krista McRae. www.informjewellery.co.nz www.piecesofeight.com.au

A Glass Act

"Reflections" Elaine Miles. The Atrium Federation Square. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Imagine 185 handblown Venetian-style plates hanging precariously from a soaring ceiling. Melbourne glass blower, Elaine Miles did – and she went one step further….suspending them in the huge atrium at Federation Square. Her installation is one of ten works in this year’s $60,000 Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture (all located around Federation Square) and it’s the one I liked the best. Called “Reflections” the work is delicate, ethereal and generally gorgeous. It casts wonderful shadows and reflections and it chimes and tinkles as the plates sway and touch each other. www.melbourneprizetrust.org

Coffee Break

The Crumpet Club, Christchurch. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Here I am, back in Christchurch, languishing on the leather sofa at The Crumpet Club.

What can I say? Melbourne took it out of me!

Shoe Shuffle

Store window, Melbourne. Nov. 2008. Ajr

GUCCI

Need I say more?

If you're a shoe fan click on shoes in the label line below

Gateway to Melbourne

The Gateway, Tullamarine Freeway, Melbourne, Australia. Nov 2008. Ajr

This is part of what’s known as The Gateway – a two-part sculpture that you pass through heading into Melbourne from the north (and the airport) on Tullamarine Freeway. Locals have a number of other less flattering names for it but I like the burst of bright colour and form on an otherwise standard city freeway. The second element of The Gateway is an innovative sound tube – a part sculpture, part functional form – 300 metres of galvanised steel that covers the freeway to reduce noise in the neighbouring apartment blocks. I've tossed in a night view for a different perspective on things.